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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034307">Puppies and Pack</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira'>Kalira</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Affection, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Dadwolfery, Feral Behavior, Feral Haruno Sakura, Feral Hatake Kakashi, Feral Uzumaki Naruto, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Kakashi Week, Kakashi Week 2020, Missions Gone Wrong, POV Multiple, Pack, Pack Feels, Parental Hatake Kakashi, Protective Haruno Sakura, Protective Hatake Kakashi, Protectiveness, playfulness, sibling feels</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:55:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26034307</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalira/pseuds/Kalira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An attack with unexpected results on the way back from a routine mission has the even more unexpected development of bringing Team Seven closer as a team - or, perhaps, as a <i>pack</i>.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dai-nana-han | Team 7 &amp; Hatake Kakashi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>515</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Kakashi Week 2020, Kalira's Kakashi Week Stories (2020)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Puppies and Pack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for <a href="https://kakashiweek.tumblr.com/post/623757588975190016/kakashi-week-2020-prompts">Kakashi Week</a>, Day 2: Pack</p><p>. . .this almost became the story for Day 4: Feral, but, you know, I have . . . other plans for that one. . . &gt;.&gt;</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Stay away!”</p><p>Naruto flinched, fingers curling towards his palms as he took a step back from the little boy who had just toppled over on the dusty road. He’d only been going to help him up, but-</p><p>“And you! Brat!” The woman glared at him, and the older kid with her - he must be nearly Naruto’s own age - threw a stick that he dodged, heart stinging. “Don’t you dare come near my children, you monster!”</p><p>“Demon!” the older kid said, even as the woman stomped forwards by the little boy, who was crying in what looked more like confusion than pain now, looking back and forth between his mother and Naruto.</p><p>Naruto winced as he heard another angry sound <i>behind him</i>, and braced himself. He could fight, but he refused to hurt anyone - ninja or civilian - and he might or might not be able to run before they-</p><p>“<i>What</i> did you call him?” A gentle, firm hand landed on his shoulder as a snarl echoed in his ear, and Naruto’s eyes widened as he turned to see Sakura with her teeth bared, stepping up beside him and then further, shielding him.</p><p>“You- Now, now, girl, you know-”</p><p>“Who’d be stupid enough to let <i>him</i> anywhere near ‘em!” the older kid yelled, and something in Naruto’s stomach curled up, tight and painful. Sakura’s fingers tightened his shoulder, almost enough to ache, and it was . . . a little better.</p><p>“You can’t be angry for hearing the <i>truth</i>, surely you aren’t so foolish as that.” the woman snapped. “<i>I</i> am protecting my children; your mother,” she glanced Sakura up and down, then glared at Naruto, “can do what she likes and allow whatever she thinks wise with that . . . <i>monstrous brat</i>. I-”</p><p>Sakura snarled again, louder, taking a step forwards, and the woman cowered back, falling immediately silent. Naruto grabbed Sakura’s arm. “Sakura-chan- I- It’s okay. Come on. You’re scaring . . . them. . .” he said, voice slowing as he wondered at that, eyes wide. It was true. Sakura was frightening them - because she was <i>angry</i> . . . angry over <i>him</i>, over them being <i>mean</i> to him.</p><p>“Good!” Sakura snapped, eyes flashing, whirling to face him. Sakura scowled, and Naruto winced again, smiling nervously.</p><p>Sakura sniffed and took his arm, dragging him almost up against her side as she linked their arms firmly. “Come on, Naru-kun.” she said, tossing her hair and throwing a last glare behind her, and Naruto followed willingly as she hauled him away and into an easy running pace, keeping hold of his hand even as they moved a little further apart.</p><p>It only took a few minutes for Naruto to realise where she was leading him, and he smiled and moved a little faster without prompting. <i>Home.</i></p><p>The compound was far out from the village centre, but it didn’t take too long to reach the sturdy gate anyway. The now-familiar gate that was never closed to him and beyond that, the secure compound with its half-wild grounds and quiet, cosy home. Naruto trotted through the gate and up the walk, Sakura still holding his hand. He squeezed a little, and grinned as Sakura squeezed back, glancing over her shoulder at him.</p><p>Sakura opened the door without knocking. “Tadaima!” she called out, though she didn’t live here, taking off her sandals and hopping up from the genkan. Naruto fumbled for a moment before following suit, humming happily as Kakashi-sensei returned the greeting.</p><p>He stepped into view a moment later, lifting one arm in welcome, and Naruto darted away from Sakura to snuggle under it, confident in the hug he would get. Kakashi-sensei was only wearing his jounin blues, no vest over them or anything, and he was warm and comfortable. He wrapped an arm around Naruto, tugging him in close, and rumbled softly against the top of Naruto’s head.</p><p>Sakura joined them a moment later for her own brief hug and nuzzle, returning it with a giggle as her nose nudged along Kakashi-sensei’s masked jaw.</p><p>“What has you unsettled, pups?” Kakashi-sensei asked, running his hand down Naruto’s back and turning to nudge him through towards the lounging area in the main room.</p><p>“Nothing.” Naruto said, but he’d barely got the word out before Sakura snapped out a report of how the woman and her children had been <i>mean</i> to Naruto, moving after him quickly and wrapping her arms around him as though she could shield him from any more cruel words.</p><p>Naruto wished he knew the words to tell her how much it meant that she would do that; that it by far outweighed the words he was long used to hearing from everyone else anyway.</p><p>Then he was startled by Kakashi-sensei’s flat, rumbling voice as he demanded more details.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei was never <i>frightening</i> . . . not to them, but Naruto guessed that right now he might be to most other people. His eye was dark and narrow, and Naruto could see his snarl under the mask, as well as feel a tingly charge off him from his raiton chakra.</p><p>Naruto assured him quickly it was fine, but he didn’t think Kakashi-sensei really listened.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei hugged them both, then shooed them off to the couch and disappeared down the other end of the house. A moment later he was back, with his full gear on this time, and patted them before he was gone out the front door, promising to return before dinner.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei had been . . . different, since they got back from that one very messy, weird mission a couple of months ago. But, Naruto thought, snuggling up next to Sakura and sniffing curiously - there was something cooking already for dinner, smelled like some kind of soup maybe - it wasn’t . . . a <i>bad</i> different. Even the mission, as weird as it had gone, hadn’t been <i>bad</i>, really. . .</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>3 Months Earlier:</b>
</p><p>Sasuke tried to tune out Naruto’s sulking over how <i>boring</i> their mission had been, but honestly. . .</p><p>It <i>had </i>been. Dull as dirt and entirely too easy - even for dobe and Sakura. They deserved more interesting missions, more <i>challenging</i> ones - ones that would be actually-</p><p>“We’re <i>genin</i>; we’re only assigned missions out of the village at all because we’re experienced - and- and because Kakashi-sensei is looking after us.” Sakura said pointedly, and then huffed when Naruto immediately argued, almost stomping now. Sakura shook her head and trotted after Kakashi-sensei, ignoring him.</p><p>“You’ll get more <i>exciting</i> missions when you’re promoted.” Kakashi-sensei said evenly. “And then you’ll wish you had fewer of them.” he added in a barely-there mutter.</p><p>Sasuke frowned. It was <i>not</i> the attitude that a proper ninja should have, much less one like Kakashi who was <i>supposed</i> to be one of the best. He snorted.</p><p>Naruto drowned out any comment he would have made anyway, and Sakura <i>glared</i> at him as he bounced past her, pestering Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke sighed and tried to tune them both out - which was, he suspected, what Kakashi-sensei was doing.</p><p>It worked fairly well until they were ambushed; Sasuke realised, lip curling, that he’d tuned out his teammates’ attempts to get his attention that . . . may have been important, as well. He ducked his head, grumbling, as Kakashi-sensei glared at him disapprovingly, but stepped into position as they faced a trio of ninja without hitai-ate.</p><p>They addressed Kakashi-sensei, ignoring Sasuke and his teammates save to taunt that Kakashi-sensei was laboured with genin, as though they were some sort of useless babies, and Sasuke lunged, flinging a handful of kunai and raising a hand to make a seal. He took a breath and let it out as a fierce katon with three more seals, only to yelp as he was caught around the throat and <i>thrown</i>, slamming head-first into a tree.</p><p>“Sasuke-teme!” Naruto yelled, but everything else sounded watery and strange as Sasuke struggled to his feet only to be caught in one of the enemy nin’s arms, closing firmly around his throat and lifting him off his feet. He thrashed, trying to get leverage, and grimaced as he heard the sounds of a fight <i>he couldn’t see</i> behind him. Metal clashed, rock groaned, Naruto yelled, Sakura screamed. . .</p><p>Sasuke finally managed to angle himself well enough to land a kick and then-</p><p>It did <i>nothing</i>. Sasuke bit back the impulse to yell and kept fighting, and felt a thrill of triumph when he was dropped - though his ankle flared with pain as he landed badly; he hoped it wasn’t broken - until he saw Kakashi-sensei’s sandals just by his right shoulder, blood dripping into the dirt beside them. Sasuke hadn’t gotten <i>himself</i> free, Kakashi-sensei had <i>rescued</i> him.</p><p>Sasuke scrambled to his feet, ignoring the hot throb of his ankle, and Kakashi-sensei looked him over as the nin who had held him captive collapsed. Kakashi-sensei herded Sasuke back towards the others, and he protested but did as he was told.</p><p>“It won’t be that easy, Sharingan no Kakashi!”</p><p>“Maa, won’t it?” Kakashi-sensei replied lazily, hands flicking through another series of seals so quick Sasuke couldn’t follow without his Sharingan. Just the thought had his Sharingan spinning to life, though the battle moved almost too fast - with Kakashi-sensei and the two remaining enemy nin trading jutsu and blows simultaneously, all of them ignoring Sasuke and his teammates - for Sasuke to make sense of even with his Sharingan active.</p><p>“Get behind me.” Kakashi-sensei said quietly, voice ticking into a snarl, and Sasuke grimaced but obeyed the order, along with his teammates, too-close and jostling at his sides. He wavered a little as his ankle throbbed again, and Sakura leaned against him supportively, but he shoved her away as he steadied himself again.</p><p>“You won’t save them and you won’t save yourself!”</p><p>Sasuke’s lip curled as he glared past Kakashi-sensei at the enemy nin, and then he yowled in pain at the eye-searing flash of the jutsu the nin had unleashed. His involuntary cry ended in a strangled huff as something heavy-</p><p>Kakashi-sensei. Kakashi-sensei had been blown backwards off his feet, tumbling into them and landing on <i>top</i> of them. Sasuke felt a niggling spike of fear - for Kakashi-sensei to be taken down like that. . . He pushed it down, struggling free of the heap of his sensei and teammates as quick as he could. The enemy nin who had used the jutsu was <i>laughing</i>, and Sasuke reached for a weapon, narrowing his eyes and preparing himself to attack.</p><p>A horrifying sound broke through the enemy nin’s voice as he began to taunt them - no, not <i>them</i>, only Kakashi-sensei - again, and it took Sasuke a spine-chilling minute to realise it was-</p><p>Sasuke turned his head slowly and saw Kakashi-sensei rising to his feet, visible eye narrowed and glaring, and <i>now</i> he was snarling, not the low growl that had edged his words before. Sasuke hadn’t realised- Never would have <i>known</i> the difference.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei prowled forwards and the enemy nin weren’t <i>laughing</i> any longer. Sasuke shifted his grip, assessing the pair of them.</p><p>Naruto <i>screamed</i>, an unholy shriek that made Sasuke’s ears throb, and pounded past Sasuke to jump directly on the enemy nin he had settled his own focus upon, using the man’s own body as leverage to spring up into his face. Sasuke went after him - kami knew dobe would need the help - only to be startled as Sakura followed quicker than he could, her face twisted into a mask of fury Sasuke had never seen her show before.</p><p>Sasuke reoriented swiftly and went after the remaining nin, and was kept on his toes struggling to match his attacks and fend him off. It didn’t last long, however, before Sasuke’s blade sliced across his throat and-</p><p>The nin dissolved. A clone. He twisted warily, looking around just in time to see the original kick Kakashi-sensei back. Kakashi never stopped moving, the kick and the metre of space it won his enemy hardly slowing him down, barely buying half a heartbeat of time, and before Sasuke could make up his mind what to do the nin was down and Kakashi-sensei was <i>gone</i>.</p><p>Sasuke looked to his teammates and found Kakashi-sensei snapping the other nin’s neck, ignoring him as he fell to the dirt and inspecting Naruto and Sakura instead.</p><p>Letting Sharingan go at last, Sasuke winced - his ankle <i>hurt</i>, damn it, and he suspected he had made it worse while fighting - priority was to survive a battle; injuries could be healed, dead was dead - and moved towards them. He stilled, eyes widening.</p><p>Moving away from the enemy nin’s body, Kakashi tugged both of Sasuke’s teammates along, each caught in a half-embrace at his sides. Naruto had a bit of fabric - was that a <i>sleeve</i>? - dangling from his mouth, which dropped as he grinned, making an almost chirrupy noise.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei ruffled his hair, then <i>petted</i> his back, bending close and- Was Kakashi-sensei <i>sniffing</i> Naruto? Sasuke edged closer warily, lip curling. He eyed them, then snorted, looking around for Sakura, only to find her edging past Naruto and nudging boldly against Kakashi-sensei as well. He whuffed, nosing against her tousled hair, and Sakura <i>wriggled</i>, hands resting on Kakashi-sensei’s now sliced-up flak vest.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei rubbed the nape of Sakura’s neck and she whined, tucking her head against his chest. Kakashi-sensei hugged her close, a gesture Sasuke had <i>never</i> seen from their sensei, even when he caught and supported any of them when they risked collapse or falling, or helped them to get back to their homes or wherever they were staying on a mission when injured.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei released Sakura, brushed a hand over Naruto’s shoulder once more, then moved towards Sasuke. He froze, then stumbled back, and yelped when Kakashi-sensei caught him by the shoulder and hauled him in - gentle but impossible to slide away from - only to- to <i>smell him</i>, nose against his hair and then his cheek, one hand sliding down his back. Sasuke jerked away the instant Kakashi-sensei released him, and nearly toppled over <i>again</i> as he unwarily put his full weight on his left ankle.</p><p>Rather than ask if he was all right, or even insist that he wasn’t, which Sasuke had mostly expected, Kakashi-sensei just-</p><p>
  <i>Picked him up.</i>
</p><p>Sasuke protested, pushed at Kakashi-sensei’s chest, and eventually shouted, but Kakashi-sensei only snorted and - once - growled quietly, and didn’t budge. Even when Naruto came over and <i>also</i> sniffed at Sasuke’s hair and neck, Sakura already curiously trotting ahead as Kakashi-sensei directed them, still without speaking, <i>somewhere</i> off the path.</p><p>Sasuke had no idea what had happened - that jutsu with the painful flash, surely, but he hadn’t gotten a good look at the seals or effects before the flash blinded him. . . Whatever it was, his sensei and his teammates were. . .</p><p>Sasuke eyed Kakashi-sensei, who was alert and focused on the path ahead, and grimaced.</p>
<hr/><p><i>Day 1,</i> Sasuke thought, taking a precise record as he’d been trained to do, <i>both my sensei and my useless teammates appear to have lost their minds. I can only assume that my Sharingan protected me from the same jutsu that has affected them; if Kakashi-sensei were an Uchiha instead of using a stolen Sharingan perhaps he would have escaped as well.</i></p><p>Sasuke stiffened as a soft whine accompanied a puff of warm breath against his cheek, and half his vision began shading fuzzily pink with Sakura’s hair as she leaned in close at his side. She nuzzled his cheek as he grimaced, trying to lean away.</p><p>He bumped into something considerably more solid in that direction, and looked up to find Kakashi-sensei leaning over him, arching a brow. Kakashi-sensei whuffed softly, scarred mouth pulling crookedly as he tilted his head, and bent closer to Sasuke as he tried to scramble away only to run into something solid and warm and faintly scratchy. Naruto in his mesh armour, the outer jacket having been discarded as they got settled here, though unlike Kakashi-sensei’s vest - which had likewise been tossed aside - it was still in one piece.</p><p>‘Here’ being the cave that Kakashi-sensei had inexplicably decided, evidently, was to be their new camp. Though none of the others had remembered things like <i>storage seals</i>, and all the gear they had for setting up a real camp in the ones they carried. Sasuke had eventually fought to snag them out of Kakashi-sensei’s pack and at least managed to get out the bedrolls and the medical kit.</p><p>His ankle hurt rather less now it had been wrapped properly for support, though he could have done without it being <i>snuffled at</i> and the whines and pushy contact from his teammates while he had been wrapping it.</p><p>Sasuke huffed, elbowing Sakura in the ribs to try to get more space for himself even as Kakashi-sensei finally moved away, and Naruto was distracted by him. Of course while Sasuke had unpacked all four bedrolls. . .</p><p>He pulled his legs in and pushed backwards a little - until his back was against the rock, blocking one side, at least. Only two of the bedrolls had been slept on. Sort of. Sasuke had settled down in his own of course, scuffled with Naruto to <i>get off him</i>, and somehow <i>lost</i>.</p><p>When he woke this morning he’d been very warm, with Naruto lying on top of him and breathing - warm and slightly damp - against his ear, and Sakura snuggled up with her back against his side, Kakashi-sensei all but curled around them all, his back to the cave entrance. <i>His</i> breath had been tickling Sasuke’s hair.</p><p>At least, Sasuke thought, glaring at Sakura - she smiled back, unmoved - Sakura hadn’t been cuddled up to him the way Naruto was, or- or <i>clinging</i>. She’d been clinging to Kakashi-sensei a bit, and only pressed steady and solid against Sasuke.</p><p>Nevertheless, he had plans to prevent any of that tonight. He wasn’t sure exactly how, but he was determined to have his own space and keep his crazy teammates <i>out</i> of it.</p><p>Sasuke raised his head, eyes widening. Kakashi-sensei was <i>leaving the cave</i>. Sasuke hurried to rise only for Kakashi-sensei to be at his side again in a breath, pushing him down gently but firmly.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei growled softly, and Sakura whined, but dropped down on her knees nearby. Naruto yipped and tugged at Kakashi-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei huffed and nuzzled him, then pulled him off and all but <i>dropped</i> him down between Sakura and Sasuke before turning away again.</p><p>Sasuke groaned. “Back <i>off</i>.” he snapped at Naruto, though he didn’t anticipate it having much effect.</p><p>It didn’t.</p>
<hr/><p>Kakashi rumbled contentedly as he kicked away the last bone from his meal and stretched out, muscles pleasantly loose and warm after the easy exertion of his hunt earlier. He glanced over at his pups, and the contented feeling ebbed a little.</p><p>His little black pup wasn’t eating.</p><p>His sunshine pup - more of a kit, really; Kakashi had heard his frightened shrieks and happy gekkering, but Kakashi was happy with his little ones even if none of them were quite wolf like himself - had bolted down his rabbit impressively fast, and his pink sister was huffing at him, her own meal left half finished as she prodded at him, pulling bits of bloody fur off his face and then licking the smudges off him. He quivered, whining, then went almost completely still, eyes wide, submitting to being both scolded and cleaned up.</p><p>Kakashi whuffed approvingly at them and they both glanced at him, one offering a soft, happy yip and the other wriggling closer to her, whining in question. Kakashi gave a low bark, and his pink pup returned to her task with a determined, exasperated air. Kakashi would remind her of her meal if she didn’t return to it after.</p><p>His black pup, however. . . Kakashi growled softly, concerned. The pup hadn’t eaten since the night before, so far as he knew, and only little even then - something from the heap of belongings near their nest - and barely the night before that, either. And now he had a fresh rabbit on his lap and he had only pushed it away, pulling in on himself and not touching it, though he eyed it from time to time.</p><p>Kakashi shook his head, rising and moving over to his final pup, taking up the rabbit again and noting the pup’s look of relief even as he offered it again, returning it to his pup’s lap. He stiffened and pushed it away, and Kakashi huffed, picking it up again and putting it in the pup’s face.</p><p>He yowled and shoved at Kakashi, catlike, fingers curling as he leaned back. He was forever dodging contact and the proper care from his pack, and Kakashi was almost as concerned about that as his apparent lack of any idea how - or perhaps desire - to feed himself.</p><p>He was far too old to be having this trouble, despite how young and helpless Kakashi’s pups were in some ways. Not to say they were <i>entirely</i> helpless, he thought, remembering with pride the way the other two had worked together to harry and take down an enemy before Kakashi could come to their aid himself.</p><p>Kakashi coaxed and pressed the black pup to eat, and he continued to refuse the rabbit, leaning away and making unhappy, confused noises.</p><p>Eventually Kakashi bit roughly into the rabbit himself, tearing at the hide and flesh, and then offered it to his pup again - <i>see, eat</i>, he thought, licking his lips clean of blood, and sighed as the pup yelped and kicked out. A moment later he had shuffled away and was curling into a tight ball near the back of the den, beyond the nest.</p><p>Kakashi turned to the others and found happily that his pink pup had indeed finished her meal, and now her brother was tentatively nuzzling close to her. He curled up with his head in her lap, and she made a contented sound, petting him affectionately as he wriggled, a chirrupy sound catching in his throat.</p><p>At least they were looking after themselves well, and each other, and listening as they should, Kakashi thought with a stifled whine. He put the rabbit aside. It would be there if the pup wanted it, and if he didn’t eat . . . Kakashi would bring him something else tomorrow, see if he could tempt the pup into eating with other options. Perhaps he was just fussy because he was picky with what he liked.</p><p>Kakashi crooned in a low call, lifting his chin, and his other pups scrambled to his side happily, almost knocking him on his back. Kakashi yipped affectionately, opening his arms and letting them carry him down onto the rock, snuggling in against his chest and nuzzling at his neck and jaw, cosy and warm and <i>happy</i>. Kakashi’s heart was light, despite his worry for his remaining pup, and he cuddled and petted them for a time before nudging them all together to sleep, curling himself protectively near.</p><p>His black pup protested, but settled down with his sunshine brother’s insistent shoves, kept warm and safe with his siblings. Kakashi crooned, looking over his pups once more, and closed his eyes.</p>
<hr/><p><i>Day 3</i>, Sasuke thought, clinging to the faint normalcy to be found in organising his thoughts for a record of this insane mission, <i>my teammates and sensei are still insane, though I have been working on a plan to attempt bringing them back to normal. I hope to enact it soon, and restore them to their senses.</i></p><p>
  <i>My sensei has brought me three dead rabbits, a handful of fish, some wild bird’s eggs, a squirrel, and six mice, and has stopped barely short of shoving any of them in my mouth. My teammates are eating raw meat happily and try almost as hard to shove it on me as well.</i>
</p><p>Truth be told, Sasuke was very sick of ration bars, and the fish - something he could actually stand to eat a few bites of raw, though it had <i>not</i> been pleasant - had been not entirely unwelcome. He was trying to make a place to build a fire, and hoping that his insane sensei and teammates would neither prevent him from doing so nor, he supposed, set themselves - or anything <i>else</i> - on fire. At least their camp was set up entirely within a reassuringly non-flammable rocky cave.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei was out of the way for now, at least - he was dozing near the entrance of the cave, which Sasuke fortunately did not need to try and exit at the moment. He’d already managed that, a little painfully - his ankle was mending but not healed yet - and pulled in some branches, and then his teammates had started bringing them to him, though not without some apparent confusion as to why he wanted them.</p><p>Sakura sat at the cave entrance as well, occasionally pulling at their sensei’s wild hair and giggling a little. Kakashi-sensei never actually <i>protested</i>, though he did grumble from time to time and Sasuke had seen at least one flash of his alarming fangs as his lip curled. It was still strange to see him without his mask, but <i>that</i> had been gone before they even settled in this cave.</p><p>Naruto was the only one near Sasuke - mostly absorbed in chewing on something Sasuke didn’t want to think about, but watching him regardless. Sasuke pressed on with his task, setting up the branches in the space he had cleared; his doton was not . . . as reliable as he would like, but he had used one to make a shallow pit - more of a depression with a low wall around it. It was good enough, at least, he thought.</p><p>The fire itself, however, was easy, and Sasuke didn’t need kindling or any smaller twigs, either. A few quick seals and a breath and a searing puff of flame caught on the branches he’d arranged; Sasuke held it for a long few moments, letting it take, then sat back on his heels with a half-gasp to catch his breath. He stifled a yelp as he strained his ankle, and hurriedly shifted sideways off it again.</p><p>Naruto had gone to the fire but at the mostly-stifled sound from Sasuke he turned away again, darting to Sasuke’s side, whining and yipping, gently pushing at him. Sasuke snapped at him and tried to shove him off, but it was mostly pointless. Dobe didn’t take hints when he <i>wasn’t</i> insane, and he’d been even worse since losing his mind.</p><p>Sasuke wrinkled his nose, but took up the rabbit Kakashi-sensei had brought him this morning, whining and pushing it upon him, eventually taking an illustrative bite out of it himself - as he did more and more frequently - and nearly waving it in Sasuke’s face. He used a kunai to take the rabbit down to strips - and disgusting insides, and there were probably remnants of fur on the meat, but he almost didn’t care - and then awkwardly hefted them over the fire, one or two at a time.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei, he realised, was no longer lying at the cave entrance, he was leaning over the fire, Sakura peeking around him. Sasuke tried to shove him away, but it was like trying to shove one of Konoha’s giant trees, with no chakra besides.</p><p>“I’m just making food <i>I</i> can eat!” Sasuke defended, knowing the words wouldn’t get through to his sensei and huffing. Then he realised one of his bits of rabbit was on fire and snatched it out, nose wrinkling. It was burnt and he suspected probably not cooked all the way through, but. . .</p><p>Sasuke waved it around a little, and shoved at Naruto when he got up far too close, nose twitching and mouth open. Sasuke singed his fingers a little when he ripped a bit off and popped it in his mouth - and it was bland and burnt - but it was juicy and hot and <i>cooked</i> and <i>not a ration bar</i>. Sasuke groaned, biting into the strip of rabbit and digging in, ignoring the heat as he scalded his tongue and briefly forgetting his sensei and teammate nearby.</p><p>He startled when Kakashi-sensei ruffled his hair and patted his shoulder, then moved away with a soft huff. Naruto slunk around him a bit more, and Sasuke sighed and gave him a bit of half-burnt rabbit that wasn’t quite so hot any more, still working on cooking his little heap of meat.</p><p>Naruto made a high-pitched sound that Sasuke guessed uneasily was happy, getting his fingers greasy and bloody as he chewed on the meat Sasuke had passed to him.</p><p>Sasuke shook his head, shifting a little closer by the fire - it wasn’t cold, but it was still nice to have the fire’s warmth; it would be even nicer after night fell.</p><p>Busying himself with his meal - it was the first time he’d felt like he might be getting properly full in several days - Sasuke tried to ignore his teammates watching him with curiosity and the occasional flash of alarm. Naruto was still close by his side, even with the second strip of cooked rabbit Sasuke had given him occupying his hands and mouth, and Sakura knelt across the fire, its glow lighting in her hair unsettlingly. Kakashi-sensei had returned to his place near the cave entrance but Sasuke felt his gaze sweep back over them from time to time.</p><p>Sasuke glanced up and Kakashi-sensei met his gaze with a not-quite-smile. Sasuke dropped the hunk of rabbit he was eating to pull the ones cooking out of the fire. At least, he thought as he piled the newly-cooked pieces on top of his little heap, he <i>had</i> a fire now and he could eat without having freshly dead animals shoved in his face, like the others were so eager for.</p><p>Sasuke shuddered, glancing sideways at Naruto. He lifted his head and yipped, licking his lips. Sasuke shoved a third piece of rabbit at him before he could decide to pounce or nudge up against Sasuke again.</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto whined as Dad caught him by the scruff, hauling him up out of the slick, smushed moss and mulch and-</p><p>Naruto yipped in surprise when he flew through the air, then laughed as he splashed into the stream, shaking himself and bounding up off the bottom, shaking his head. Dad yipped back, eye warm and fond.</p><p>His sister giggled at him from the shore - <i>she</i> wasn’t covered in green and brown and prickly muck - and Naruto stuck out his tongue at her. She grinned and bounded up into the nearest tree as Naruto pushed a little deeper in the water again, enjoying the feel of the current and letting it wash away the itchy feeling.</p><p>He could hear the quiet rustle overhead, even beyond the sounds of the water around him - some of it was the trees and the wind, and some of it. . .</p><p>Naruto darted sideways as his sister swung down beside him, hanging upside down with her legs hooked around a low branch, and got himself swiftly out of reach. She gave a laughing bark and splashed her fingers through the water, flicking it at him.</p><p>Naruto whined sulkily, then laughed as he met her eyes and she grinned at him again.</p><p>Dad settled lazily nearby, stretching out atop a large rock. He was watching, and near if they needed him. Would be there when they got out of the water - because Naruto <i>fully</i> intended to drag his sister in too - even if he wasn’t playing now. It felt <i>safe</i>, and warm, and right, Naruto here with his Dad and his sister. Leaping for his sister as she swung around the branch anchoring her, Naruto wished his brother would play too, but he had been funny, sulking and squawking and making nonsense reactions to things.</p><p>He had barely eaten for a while, too, but after he made the fire it was more. Dad had been less worried after that, and he encouraged them to curl up near the fire when he allowed its presence at all. It was nice. Not as nice as cuddling up warm to sleep with his family, of course, but when he could do both it was even better.</p><p>Not that his brother liked that always, either. He’d kicked Naruto yesterday and made his lip bleed. Naruto foggily remembered that his brother was often quiet and sullen and didn’t like to be near them, but it had still hurt. His hopes more than his face.</p><p>Dad had snapped at his brother and still had to scruff his sister to keep her from pouncing on him, snarling. She had taken a bit to calm down after that, and when Dad had tossed her at Naruto, huffed and spent quite some time crooning and petting him, cuddled up pointedly close.</p><p>Naruto laughed when he finally caught her and dragged her down into the water as she yowled, kicking. Her knee caught him in the side of the head, but it wasn’t hard, and he came up spluttering, his sister already pouncing on him again, teeth bared but a playful look in her eyes.</p><p>It was gentle when she caught him by the throat and tumbled them both over in the water, and Naruto was careful to be the same when he fought back, shoving her deeper.</p><p>Their brother never did come to join them - or even to sit with Dad on the shore - but they played until they grew tired, then sloshed out of the stream and sprawled near Dad. He rumbled in welcome, brushing a hand over Naruto’s brow and nudging his cheek. Naruto, eyes closed, sighed and whined contentedly, spreading out a little more.</p><p>It was safe to nap here, Dad was right there, and his sister was barely arm’s length away.</p><p>Naruto yawned, then sighed, wriggling a little to get more comfortable.</p>
<hr/><p><i>Day 8</i>, Sasuke thought, <i>little change.</i> He tucked his knees up a little more, misery mounting at the thought of how many days he had been sitting here in this grubby cave, keeping track of the mad happenings, and- and his own <i>failure</i>, the vicious results when he had attempted to use his Sharingan to free his team and sensei from the jutsu that had affected them and skipped over <i>him</i> - would they <i>ever</i> get their minds back?</p><p>
  <i>My team- My sensei- They’re still acting insane. I’ve been eating better, with the fire - though Kakashi-sensei puts it out most nights, and sometimes during the day, even though they all sit near it frequently when he doesn’t - and my ankle is completely healed, but I can’t get past Kakashi-sensei to head back to Konoha . . . even if I wanted to go on my own and leave my team behind.</i>
</p><p>Even if he could. Sasuke wasn’t entirely sure he <i>could</i> get back to Konoha without Kakashi-sensei, from where they were now. Where they had been. He would first have to find the road, or some other indication of where they were, because he hadn’t been able to track it as well as he should have when Kakashi-sensei was carrying him on the way to the cave that had been their camp for more than a week now. He wasn’t actually sure where they were, and while he was confident he could figure it out. . .</p><p>A soft yip caught his attention, and Sasuke turned only to find his movement stymied by the material of his own shirt tightening around him. He stared. Naruto whined, tugging at Sasuke’s shirt, which was caught at the shoulder in his <i>teeth</i>.</p><p>“Naruto!” Sasuke yelled, shoving at him.</p><p>Naruto yipped again, muffled by the fabric in his mouth, and thrashed his head back and forth a few times, yanking and whining. His eyes were wide and hopeful and Sasuke didn’t know what Naruto wanted, but <i>he</i> wanted dobe to <i>get off</i>.</p><p>It took him a good ten minutes to get Naruto to back off, and several rougher blows - one kick made Naruto screech, and Sasuke quailed briefly as Kakashi-sensei barked sharply from near the cave entrance. Kakashi-sensei huffed, eye sweeping over them both, then barked again, softer.</p><p>Barking.</p><p>A week and more and Sasuke still wasn’t used to that. He kept hoping, of course, that he didn’t <i>need</i> to be used to it, that his sensei, and his teammates, would. . .</p><p>Naruto bit his shirt again, tugging and all but whimpering, and Sasuke shoved at him, by the neck with one hand this time, not risking kicking him. Eventually Naruto slunk away, whimpering loudly, and Sasuke sighed, shifting a bit and resting his back more comfortably against the rock. A sharp yip made him jump, stiffening.</p><p>It had been Naruto again, but this time he had jumped on Sakura. Sasuke shook his head, forcing himself to relax again. Probably their fight wouldn’t come this way, and at least Naruto wasn’t bothering <i>him</i> right now.</p><p>Sakura bared her teeth and Sasuke eyed her, grimacing faintly. She was so . . . different.</p><p>That was stupid, Sasuke thought - they were <i>all</i> horribly different, Sakura was no more or less-</p><p>Sakura <i>lunged</i>, and Naruto keeled over with her on top of him, snarling. Sasuke tensed, but Naruto’s screech slid into a clucking, chattering sort of noise Sasuke had gathered, slowly and with a good deal of bafflement, was happy. Neither Kakashi-sensei nor Sakura ever made it, even now, but then, dobe had always been weird.</p><p>Sakura yipped and laughed, loud and bright, even as Naruto bit at her shoulder, sending her toppling over. They rolled across the cave floor together, shoving and snapping and making sharp little sounds at each other, and Sasuke’s lip curled.</p><p>They got rowdier as they went, and eventually, having progressed into all but throwing each other back and forth across the cave, they landed squarely on Kakashi-sensei. Sasuke winced. At least Kakashi-sensei, even out of his mind, would put a stop to-</p><p>Kakashi-sensei surged to his feet, growling deep and shuddering, and Sasuke ducked, pressing hard against the stone at his back, eyes wide. Naruto and Sakura, the <i>idiots</i>, only laughed and bounced back to their feet from where Kakashi-sensei had sent them sprawling backwards across the cave floor.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei caught them each easily, throwing Sakura over his shoulder and hefting Naruto by the neck or shoulder, maybe his mesh armour - the only thing he still wore on his upper body, and it had to be uncomfortable, not that he had seemed to notice - and stalking outside with them. Sasuke craned his neck, then froze, staring.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei tossed them both off him, then <i>pounced</i>, and while Sasuke had felt a frisson of fright for his teammates - he would never normally fear Kakashi-sensei, but this new, strange version of his sensei was . . . unsettling - now. . .</p><p>Naruto jumped on Kakashi-sensei’s shoulders, making the chattering noise again, and Sakura squirmed beneath him, barking and kicking. Kakashi-sensei rolled off, howling low and soft, grinning as Naruto fell away only to lunge for him again, followed by Sakura, both of them pouncing on top of him.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei was wrestling with them, <i>playing</i> with them, out in the small open area before the cave that had become their camp.</p><p>Sakura bit his shoulder and he barked, wrapping an arm around her waist before falling back, cushioning her atop himself rather than throwing her. Naruto jumped on them both and Sakura growled, clawing at him and baring her teeth again, only to be met with Naruto shoving against her, both of them scrambling over Kakashi-sensei’s prone body.</p><p>He laughed and reached up between them, poking and pinching, shoving and tugging them away from one another and letting them go again. They ganged up on him, then turned on one another, and Kakashi-sensei <i>let</i> them, his own wrestling much more controlled and his strikes clearly pulled.</p><p>Sasuke huffed and ducked down, pointedly ignoring his insane sensei and teammates, pulling out one of the kunai he’d been using on his meals and picking at a dried-on bit of gristle. He tried to tune out the sounds of laughter and happy yips outside.</p>
<hr/><p>Sakura tore into the last bits of rich meat with a happy growl and then let the remnants of the pheasant fall, face twisting as her stomach continued the little unpleasant protests that had been bothering her half the day. She licked her lips and went for a drink, then contemplated her brothers from where she crouched.</p><p>Her dark brother was cold and withdrawn, and sometimes got aggressive when pressed. Sometimes until sensei stepped in to stop him.</p><p>Her bright, sunshiney brother was a little rough sometimes but he was always sweet and warm.</p><p>Sakura made her way across to him, whining softly and nudging her knee against his shoulder. He looked up with a grin, and Sakura curled up beside him, whining again, feeling unsettled. He wriggled and cuddled nearer, tugging at her, and Sakura sighed, letting herself lean against him. He was smaller than she was, but he was strong and steady as well as warm.</p><p>Her brother started to pet her hair after a bit, slow and gentle, and Sakura sighed contentedly, closing her eyes. She didn’t sleep, though, and she felt it when her brother began to fidget, even though he was clearly trying to hold as still as he could - probably for her sake.</p><p>Sakura lifted her head and nuzzled his cheek, then pulled away and rolled to her knees, hopping up. Her stomach was still <i>unhappy</i> but she didn’t feel quite so sick any more. She bent and caught her brother by the hand, tugging at him until he scrambled obligingly to his feet as well, pulling him towards the entrance of their den.</p><p>Sensei was out, hunting or patrolling, but he would be back - he always was - and he didn’t mind if they left the den while he was gone, so long as they stayed close. And together. It was their territory and it was safe enough, even with sensei not <i>right</i> beside them.</p><p>Sakura didn’t feel like wrestling, but she and her brother ran about the clearing, through the trees and back, chasing each other and trying to stifle their laughter most of the time. Then she climbed one of the tall trees, searching out anything interesting - she found a bird’s nest and lifted the eggs from it - while her brother went to the water, eyes wide and body unusually still as he watched the fish.</p><p>He caught three.</p><p>Sakura dropped down to join him again and grinned as he shouldered her companionably, and they headed back up to the den just as sensei arrived, a stag draped around his shoulders. He greeted them with a low rumble, and Sakura’s brother darted ahead of her to meet him, calling out an ululating greeting of his own.</p><p>Sakura yipped and followed more slowly, hanging back herself until sensei had freed himself of the large encumbrance, letting it fall to rest on the sloping stone just outside the entrance to their den. Hands free, he ruffled sunshine-bright hair and tugged Sakura’s brother in close, nuzzling his brow and tucking the top of his head under sensei’s chin for a moment. Then sensei released her brother and reached out to Sakura herself.</p><p>Putting the eggs she carried down, Sakura snuggled close, sensei’s steady, warm embrace settling her. His lips brushed her brow, and then she felt his jaw slanting against the top of her head as he hugged her against him. Sakura sighed, nuzzling sensei’s collarbone and leaning into the embrace for a moment.</p><p>Sensei returned her gentle nuzzling before releasing her, and then crouched to see to the deer, giving a whuff of approval at her brother’s fish as he offered them up as well.</p><p>Sakura bumped into him gently and he yipped happily, both of them retreating inside and leaving their sensei to his task. Their brother, Sakura saw with a sigh, was still in the same spot he had been when they went outside earlier, legs folded, tucked up against one wall.</p><p>He ate, at least, now - more than he had - though he never ate when sensei brought him fresh meat, or even when Sakura or her sunshine brother presented him with their own finds. Not until he had taken it to his fire, as he did with the section of the deer’s meat their sensei offered him. He didn’t seem terribly pleased with the results - he never did, really - but at least he ate, Sakura thought. She shook her head, watching with amusement as her other brother cracked a bone between his sharp teeth.</p><p>Their sensei made an approving noise, tossing a similarly mangled bone out of the den, licking his lips. Sakura stretched lazily, then folded her legs, inching closer to the fire, enjoying the crackle and warmth of it and watching the hypnotic flicker.</p><p>She relaxed there for a time, letting the sounds - of the fire, of her pack, of the deepening night outside - wash over her.</p><p>She lifted her head as sensei moved past, and then her brothers began to move as well. Sakura yawned, eyes closing, and stretched slowly, wriggling in place. She looked around, towards the nest at the back of the den, rubbing at an itchy spot low on her neck.</p><p>Sensei whuffed, a quiet invitation, and Sakura perked up, scrambling over to join him in the nest. He grinned and nuzzled her in welcome, one hand sliding over her shoulder and down her spine, then opened his arm to her even as he lay back.</p><p>Sakura crooned happily, cuddling down into her favourite spot. Sensei had been too watchful for it at first, wary in this unfamiliar place they had now made their own, always putting himself between the three of them and any potential dangers.</p><p>Now he settled down on his back easily and let Sakura cuddle up under one of his arms, head on his shoulder, just as her bright, happy brother curled up in a clingy ball on his other side, head against his ribs. Sakura’s brother reached out a hand out across their sensei and she caught it, squeezing gently.</p><p>Their darker brother, of course, was a little further away, as he was every night, unless one of them dragged him into their heap, or piled on top of him. Sensei had taken to letting him do as he willed more lately, though Sakura could see his quiet concern for her brother. In this as in other ways.</p><p>Sakura shook her head, whining softly - she worried for him, too - and sensei petted her gently, fingers brushing her side, arm cradling her close. Sakura sighed, lulled by the contact and the slow, thudding beat of her sensei’s heart which she could feel so close.</p><p>Her sunshine brother squeezed her fingers, and Sakura rubbed his hand with her thumb, tugging it a little closer. Sensei growled softly and Sakura heard her brother’s giggles join her own as she cuddled into sensei, sleep creeping over her.</p>
<hr/><p><i>Day 19, </i>Sasuke thought, not even bothering to sit up, though he had been awake for at least an hour, watching the rough stone ceiling above him - past a fluff of yellow hair, because Naruto was asleep across his shoulder, head leaning against his jaw. <i>There has been no change - no improvement - in my sensei and teammates’ condition, their behaviour remains the inexplicable insanity of animals. I wish. . . I wish I knew what the jutsu was to have some means of breaking it, as my Sharingan proved insufficient for the task.</i></p><p>Sasuke shuddered at the memory. His Sharingan had protected him from the initial jutsu, clearly, and he knew that genjutsu could be used to help as well as harm, or bind - he had tried, therefore, to capture his teammates’ minds and lead them back to reality. Snap them out of their <i>insanity</i>.</p><p>He hadn’t realised such vicious secrets were held inside. . .</p><p>He’d tried Sakura first, thinking she would be easiest and also would argue less when back to normal, as Naruto undoubtedly would have, as Naruto always did. Sasuke had caught her mind easily enough - she had happily held still and met his gaze when he cupped her face to direct it - but once he had her. . . There had been a yawning darkness inside her mind, and then a sound like Kakashi-sensei’s roughest snarl mingled with the roar of a storm and the bone-deep shudder of an earthquake.</p><p>Sasuke had only caught a glimpse of a figure that looked like Sakura . . . and then <i>another</i>, a second Sakura, that had <i>howled</i> at him and then lunged from behind the first, lashing out, forcing Sasuke away. He had fallen from Sakura’s mind, and then fallen flat across the cave floor, blacking out.</p><p>When he woke his face had been bloody - he still wasn’t sure why - and Sakura had been nuzzling at him, whining quietly and crooning from time to time, eyes soft. Though he hadn’t quite wanted to meet her gaze.</p><p>Sasuke almost cringed. He was <i>not</i> trying that again. No matter how much he wished he could break the jutsu on his sensei and teammates. But was- Had <i>that</i> in Sakura’s mind been the jutsu, or. . .</p><p>It had taken a day for him to gather his nerves - and recover; his head had been not quite <i>pounding</i> but definitely uncomfortable when he woke, a tight pressure behind his eyes - and try it, instead, with Naruto.</p><p>He grimaced at the memory of the shadowy space he had <i>splashed</i> through, somehow both less dark and more obscured than Sakura’s mind had been. Then he had found himself near some sort of gate, and there had been the shifting of something <i>huge</i> beyond, a red-orange shape, and a flash of bright fangs perhaps as big as Sasuke himself.</p><p>He had yanked out of Naruto’s mind before he could find what kind of further horrors could be visited on him <i>there</i>, with that . . . creature. He hadn’t blacked out that time, at least, and his headache was less.</p><p>Sasuke had, however. . .</p><p>He turned his head, peering around the pink-and-red heap of Sakura’s body, curled on her side with her back to him as she slept, to Kakashi-sensei beyond her. Sasuke had not been willing to try again, with his sensei, after his initial attempts with his teammates.</p><p>If Naruto and Sakura had such horrors in their minds - and he doubted, chilling as the thought was, that they were from the jutsu; not when they were so different - Sasuke had <i>no</i> desire to test what was in Kakashi-sensei’s mind.</p><p>Another shudder made Naruto stir against him, lifting his head and peering into Sasuke’s face from entirely too close. Not that Naruto had possessed much of an idea of personal space when he’d still had sense - whatever sense Naruto <i>had</i> to begin with.</p><p>A chattering yelp from Naruto was answered by a yip and a soft woof from Sasuke’s left.</p><p>He looked again and saw Sakura up on her knees and Kakashi-sensei stretching as he sat up behind her. He ran his fingers through Sakura’s hair, and she leaned into him, wriggling and letting out a low whine. Sasuke closed his eyes with a groan, tensing as Naruto cuddled up even further on top of him.</p><p>A moment later Sakura was at his other side, and he could feel Kakashi-sensei nearby as well. Sasuke’s mouth twisted and he tried to make a little more space for himself, push them further away so he could rest, but they were stubborn and he was tired.</p><p>He gave up, only managing enough of a shift to get Naruto off his ribs, but sleep returned soon after anyway.</p>
<hr/><p>Sasuke tensed, looking around. It wasn’t often he strayed far from the camp, such as it was, and while this wasn’t the furthest he had ventured since they settled here, something today felt . . . strange. He suppressed a shiver and began to make his way back closer to the cave, careful to keep the pattern of his movements relaxed, not showing any overt changes, in case he was being watched.</p><p>It had been such a shock to see another person, another <i>sane</i> person he thought desperately, that Sasuke was almost frozen for a breath. Then he called out, eyes fixed more on the Konoha emblem on the man’s happuri than his strangely wide eyes or any of the rest of him.</p><p>In short order there were two others summoned - a tall, bulky man in an <i>inordinate</i> amount of green, and a blond with a Torture and Interrogation coat and Yamanaka eyes.</p><p>Sasuke made his way towards them in quick strides, calling out that they needed help and then stalling because <i>how</i> could he explain-</p><p>Naruto lunged, shrieking, as Yamanaka approached Sasuke, and Sasuke grabbed for him only to miss. “My team - and my <i>sensei</i>- There was a jutsu, they’re <i>insane</i>!” he said hurriedly, and the nondescript ninja who had been hanging back stepped forwards and made a seal and Naruto was suddenly caught in a . . . a wooden cage.</p><p>Sasuke blinked, staring. He missed the first few questions from the Konoha nin, watching Naruto fight the wooden bars, and only snapped out of it when a flash of pink caught his eye through the trees. Sasuke should try to explain, he thought, but didn’t get much further before there was a scuffle and then a deep, throbbing <i>snarl</i> that made him freeze, Kakashi-sensei nearly <i>flattening</i> one of the Konoha nin as he appeared, dragging Sakura out of reach. The man wheezed out something inexplicable about rivals against the dirt, but was on his feet again almost immediately, and Kakashi-sensei circled him warily.</p><p>Yamanaka pushed Sasuke back, further out of range. “What <i>precisely</i> has the jutsu done to them?” he demanded in an even voice.</p><p>“Senpai!” the remaining nin protested, darting out of the way before Kakashi-sensei could flatten him the way he had the first man. Sasuke watched with wide eyes as they fought, both of the Konoha nin against Kakashi-sensei, and Sakura jumping in even as Kakashi-sensei tried to keep her back.</p><p>The green ninja shouted encouragement at . . . Kakashi-sensei? Sasuke eyed them, but he supposed it made slightly more sense as he realised the man was exhorting him to fight the hold on his mind and find himself again. As if it would be that simple, Sasuke thought, mouth twisting.</p><p>Sasuke shook his head and turned his attention to Yamanaka again - it was Ino’s father, Sasuke thought belatedly; he didn’t <i>know</i> the man but he did recognise Ino’s father, the head of the Torture and Interrogation department - explaining the little he <i>could</i>, wincing as Sakura was caught by the back of her dress and Kakashi-sensei <i>bit</i> savagely through green fabric at the other ninja’s wrist. It didn’t slow him down, and in a slightly bloody blur they were both down on the ground, Kakashi-sensei shoved into the dirt and the other ninja sitting on his back, pinning him there and still talking, loud but slightly breathless nonsense.</p><p>The cage holding Naruto twisted and shifted to accept Sakura as well, and Sasuke blankly assured them when questioned that no, Naruto and Sakura would not hurt each other. The unassuming ninja in the happuri stood guard over the cage - Naruto and Sakura cried out in distress, pressed close together and scratching at the wood around them - while the startlingly green ninja continued to restrain Kakashi-sensei, blood dripping down his arm and over Kakashi-sensei’s shoulder.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei fought hard, but did not make much headway, and Inoichi-san moved nearer, kneeling near Kakashi-sensei’s head but out of arm’s reach. Even if Kakashi-sensei’s arms had been free.</p><p>Sasuke’s teammates, securely held within the wooden cage, yowled and struggled even harder, angry and probably scared, but the wood held without so much as splintering under their blows. Sasuke watched uneasily as Inoichi-san <i>did something</i>, and Kakashi-sensei, writhing under the other man’s weight, made a rougher, thinner sound that sent an unpleasant shiver down Sasuke’s spine.</p><p>Inoichi-san rocked back on his heels, then rose with a grimace as Kakashi-sensei gasped, then fell silent. Inoichi-san stepped back, and Sasuke wondered if he had managed what he set out to do - if there had been any manner of horror in Kakashi-sensei’s mind, and if Inoichi-san had been prepared for it. . .</p><p>“Thank you, Inoichi.” Kakashi-sensei said, a bit strangled, and Sasuke’s eyes widened. The green ninja backed off, helping him to his feet, and an instant later he had his mask up over his nose as he dusted himself off - it was almost strange not to see his face after so long with the mask left to hang loose around his neck - and then turned to the cage.</p><p>Naruto and Sakura were quieter now, but whined and yowled uncertainly. Kakashi-sensei barked softly, and Sasuke shifted warily, eyes narrowing.</p><p>“It’s all right, Tenzou.” Kakashi-sensei said, voice low, moving past the ninja standing guard and reaching past the thick wooden beams caging Sasuke’s teammates. “Hush, pups.”</p><p>They quieted further, pressing against Kakashi-sensei’s hands. “Sasuke, are you all right?” he asked, and Sasuke startled, but agreed he was fine, huffing. Kakashi-sensei nodded and turned away again, and there were a few words Sasuke didn’t catch, prompting a gesture from the unassuming ninja - a moment later the wood melted away.</p><p>Sasuke tensed, but Naruto and Sakura only pressed themselves snugly against Kakashi-sensei, all but keening in distress. Sasuke noted that the other ninja seemed shocked, but by this point the gestures of Kakashi-sensei hugging and petting his teammates, fingers running through Naruto’s hair and squeezing Sakura’s nape gently, were more than familiar to Sasuke. He was just glad <i>he</i> wasn’t trapped alongside them this time.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei nuzzled Naruto’s brow, then turned him around, an arm around his shoulders keeping him snugly against Kakashi’s chest. “Inoichi?</p><p>Inoichi-san nodded, stepping forwards to repeat whatever it was he had done in Kakashi-sensei’s head with first Naruto, then Sakura.</p><p>Sasuke watched, wide-eyed, as they shook off lingering effects and began asking confused questions, still pressed up against Kakashi-sensei as though taking shelter from his lean body. Hearing their voices in <i>speech</i> again was strange, but Sasuke’s team were all <i>themselves</i> again and he felt a tight uneasiness in his chest finally loosen.</p><p>It had been a month.</p><p>They didn’t remain long; a few short explanations given and the rudimentary camp packed up and then they set a rapid pace back to Konoha. Sasuke was grateful for the speed, and avoided his team, his sensei - and even the other three nin - as much as he could as they travelled. He was eager to be back to Konoha, longing to retreat to the quiet of his clan’s empty compound, <i>away</i> from his team, even if they were no longer mindless and strange.</p><p>Kakashi-sensei allowed the three of them to part ways at the gates, and Inoichi-san made a dry comment about the length of time they had been absent. Kakashi-sensei snorted and dipped his head, but Sasuke didn’t hear his response - or wait around to see what his teammates did now their sensei had officially released them - he was already off, looking forward to being properly <i>alone</i> for the first time in weeks.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>Present:</b>
</p><p>Kakashi stirred from sleep as something moved against him, making an interrogative noise and lifting his head.</p><p>“Kaka-sensei. . .” Naruto whined a little, drawing back, not quite awake, and Sakura mumbled, butting her head against his shoulder. He probably should have sent her home - her parents got even more nervy when she spent too many nights away, especially when she was in the village and not on a mission - but she had been in a protective temper over Naruto, and would not have wanted to leave. Besides, Kakashi . . . liked having them both here with him. It was where they belonged, safely in the den.</p><p>Kakashi yawned and shifted lazily, looping an arm around his kit and drawing Naruto back in close. He snuggled eagerly into Kakashi’s side, all slightly-awkward still-growing limbs and sleepy warmth, clinging to his shirt. Kakashi smiled slightly, and Sakura crooned in her sleep, fingers dragging over Kakashi’s chest as they curled into a fist and she sighed.</p><p>Kakashi made a soothing sound that thrummed - a soft rumble - deep in his chest, and both kit and pup went limp against his sides as they drifted deeper into sleep. Kakashi squeezed Naruto a little more closely in the curve of his arm and shifted his shoulder beneath Sakura’s head, then let himself drift off again as well.</p><p>Both his cubs were safe and content here with him. Kakashi could rest peacefully.</p>
<hr/><p>Sakura woke up warm and cosy - a little warmer than was really comfortable, actually, but she was so comfortable otherwise that she wasn’t as bothered as she could have been. She wriggled a little and the heat pressed up against her side shifted and clung.</p><p>She sighed and snuggled into it in return, still sleepy and feeling safe.</p><p>Thin arms squeezed tight around her, and Sakura yawned as she opened her eyes, rubbing her face with the heel of one hand. Naruto was tucked close to her, his tousled hair tickling her jaw, still fast asleep.</p><p>Sakura fidgeted, stretching, back arching, and Naruto whined as he resettled around her, not waking. She wondered idly where Kakashi-sensei was, but they were tucked away safe in Kakashi-sensei’s den, so it was only a distracted thought, not the beginnings of worry. When they fell asleep they had been cuddled up on either side of Kakashi-sensei in their favourite places; he had evidently risen without waking them, but that wasn’t terribly surprising, either.</p><p>Naruto whuffed quietly and tucked his face against Sakura’s shoulder, and she turned a little more onto her side, drifting sleepily. She vaguely smelled fish cooking, she thought, and guessed Kakashi-sensei was off making breakfast. If he was, he would come get them for it eventually.</p><p>Sakura patted Naruto absently and turned her cheek to rest against his hair, sighing and snuggling in to go back to sleep for a while longer.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is a little alternate scene from this - what if Sasuke had surrendered to the packfeels with his feral team? - over <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27149840">here</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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